Pay now or we will close the schools we built – Government entrepreneurs

General News on Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-06-12

The Ghana Association of Building and Civil Contractors has threatened to lock down all member-built schools across the country, if the government does not pay all the money they were owed for the work done in the country. 39, here the end of June 26, 2019.

According to the contractors, the government, through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), secured a $ 1.5 billion loan to pay the contractors for the work done, but did not pay them in full.

Speaking to Citi News after speaking at a press conference in Accra, the national president of the badociation, Prosper Ledi, urged the government to do what it takes to avoid the risk of anger.

"What we are saying now is that we give the government two weeks – that is, June 26th. The government should not let it get to that point. We are informing the government that as of June 26, it will see us close the schools we have built but that the work has not been paid, but that such schools are being used. This is the starting point to prove to the government that it owes entrepreneurs and that they need their money. "

"What we (entrepreneurs) live is [unbearable]. Bankers, suppliers, GRA and SSNIT are chasing us. We are not even able to pay our bills for electricity and water. The government is pushing us to the point of death. And no man pushed to death will let himself die. They should start paying contractors so that we do not go to our morning grave, "he pleaded.

The executive secretary of the Association, Cherry Emmanuel, said the group would oppose any attempt to prevent them from carrying out the planned action once it has started.

He further stated that the badociation was ready to oppose the deployment of staff of the various security agencies to dissuade them from implementing their plan.

"We are ready when they decide to bring soldiers [to stop] we. This time, it's not a threat. we mean business. We give the government the 26th of this month. If nothing is done, we will see what happens in this country. We believe that the support of our president, who is a defender of human rights, is long overdue, so he must face our desperate situation, "he said.